Directed by:
Otto PremingerScreenplay:
Wendell MayesCinematography:
Sam LeavittComposer:
Duke EllingtonCast:
James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O'Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, George C. Scott, Orson Bean, Russ Brown, Murray Hamilton, Duke Ellington (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
A virtuoso James Stewart plays a small-town Michigan lawyer who takes on a difficult case: the defense of a young army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering a local tavern owner who he believes raped his wife (Lee Remick). This gripping envelope-pusher, the most popular film by Hollywood provocateur Otto Preminger, was groundbreaking for the frankness of its discussion of sex - but more than anything else, it is a striking depiction of the power of words. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (2)
A very well-made courtroom drama with occasional objectively humorous moments, elsewhere pretty dramatic and mostly rather unlikely (I’m rather doubtful that what the defense attorney does would have been admissible back then), famous at the time for scandalous elements such as “panties". But primarily it has great actors, starting with Stewart who has no trouble acting his way though even rather cheap scenes where he has to play angry or emotional. Despite the 160 minute running time, it isn’t boring at all, but there are a couple of scenes that today we might expect to see in the “cut scenes" section of a DVD.
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These courtroom dramas are simply fantastic. At least in this case, that holds true again. It's not at all about the viewer seeing how the murder happened, but mainly about how it's described, and that's absolutely enough. It's powerful because the defense attorneys make it strong. Great performances, with James Stewart once again showing what a legend he was. I could watch that man forever. Preminger further emphasizes it all with excellent direction.
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